Will alcohol interfere with your pre-workout?
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Pre-workouts are marketed as supplements designed to improve your performance in the gym by increasing your energy levels during a session. The first dietary supplement called Ultimate Orange was created by bodybuilder Dan Duchaine in California in 1982 and was a hit among the bodybuilding and powerlifting communities. From their humble beginnings to this day, they are now an inclusive fitness staple for many and come in a variety of guises.
In fact, pre-workouts are so popular that the global market is expected to reach an impressive $23.8 billion by 2027 (according to Grand View Research, Inc.)1.
For those who don't know, "pre-workout supplements are multi-ingredient nutritional formulas that often contain amino acids, B vitamins, caffeine, creatine (which are said to enhance physical performance) and artificial sweeteners," explains Lynn, director . of New York O'Connor Colon and Rectal Surgery. Other commonly used ingredients include 5-HTP, serotonin spikes, branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) to reduce pain and promote faster recovery, and electrolytes, which provide sodium, potassium, and magnesium to promote optimal hydration.
But be careful. Pre-workout is not a must for everyone. Some even carry risks. We asked the experts for the full dump on pre-workout supplements, specifically how alcohol can affect your pre-workout. Read what they had to say.
What types of pre-workouts are there?
Pre-workouts are designed for a variety of purposes, whether it's to break a routine, improve your stamina, or improve your mind/body focus. "They're also available in a variety of forms, ranging from powders, capsules, and chewables to canned drinks, liquids, and shakes, which typically contain carbohydrates, beetroot juice, caffeine, and creatine monohydrate," says O. 'Connor. These ingredients are said to enhance physical performance by providing the body with additional sources of energy from carbohydrates.
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As trendy as pre-workouts have become, many of us end up spending unnecessary dollars on products we don't need. While there are many types and options of pre-workout supplements, they depend on each individual's personal goals and needs, for example someone struggling with chronic fatigue and may need a supplement for increased health, energy and muscle capacity. to absorb nutrients. "" says Christina Campbell, a functional medicine physician. Another example is someone taking a supplement for joint pain. "It can help with pain relief and recovery and may be the best pre-workout option."
Can alcohol affect your pre-workout?
"Drinking alcohol sometimes makes you feel good," says Campbell, but mixing happy hour with a pre-workout can negate the effects of the supplement itself by not being able to help your body absorb the nutrients it contains for use in your preparation. -exercise. -training.
Also, she explains that supplements like B vitamins, magnesium, potassium, alpha lipoic acid, etc. they are used by the body and the mitochondria of the cells to detoxify alcohol instead of improving the quality of exercise.
"Also, if your pre-workout supplement contains caffeine, it competes with alcohol for elimination from the liver and can increase blood alcohol and caffeine levels and slow down the detoxification process," adds Campbell. And in case you didn't know, a high heart rate can not only affect your performance, but also become a danger to your body.
The disadvantages of mixing alcohol with exercise
Although alcohol can lower our inhibitions, it has many downsides, including an increased risk of injury. But these inhibitions are there to keep us from making decisions that could lead to injury. Additionally, the pro-inflammatory effects of alcohol will also hinder recovery. "At best, your supplement will be washed out by alcohol. It's best to avoid combining these two pre-workout," Campbell suggests.
Seriously, mixing your drink with a pre-workout drink can have more serious consequences. O'Connor states, "Some dietary supplements are metabolized by the liver, and this effect could theoretically cause or worsen liver damage when combined with alcohol." He also recommends researching your supplements, as many products on the market are not regulated by the FDA.
Before training or not, alcohol can have a detrimental effect on our overall training.2 "Alcohol is a diuretic that causes dehydration, and since dehydration is exacerbated by post-workout sweat, alcohol can still dehydrate you." more".
That's why Connor advises leaving plenty of time between alcohol consumption and sports. "In addition, the body recognizes alcohol as a poison and wants to break it down immediately: the role of the liver is to prioritize the metabolism of alcohol over fat." This leads to an accumulation of fatty acids, which are now used by the body instead of the body. fat to burn fuel. As if that weren't enough, alcohol can also disrupt muscle protein synthesis, impairing muscle growth and recovery, and negating the effects of training itself.
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Both experts agree that it's safest not to drink alcohol too close to a workout and to allow plenty of time for metabolism in between. "Make sure you're hydrated before you exercise to avoid muscle cramps or, worse, blackouts," says O'Connor. "It takes about two hours to process a unit of alcohol in a healthy person, and metabolic rate depends on several factors, including how much you drink and whether you're taking any medications that may increase the time it takes for alcohol to be processed. .”
Alcohol is, of course, an integral part of our social lives, and if you can't live without it, stick with one or two if you want to hit the gym later in the day. "Choose your drink based on your body's personal needs and drink one or two with plenty of clean water," Campbell adds, "and enjoy your drink with food to minimize the absorption and effects of alcohol." to lower blood sugar on an empty stomach. ”